Tonkin runner’s new High watermark

The eyes didn't lie at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night with Ride High's last half lowering the benchmark for exploits at Victoria's home of the trots.

Dan Mielicki's "wow" and Kima Frenning's "ridiculous" were more than justified by the numbers after the Clayton Tonkin runner's barnstorming victory in Saturday night's Vale Rod Osborne Pace.

Ride High's 52.7-second last half was the quickest final 800 metres recorded at Tabcorp Park, surpassing the previous benchmark set by Chilli Palmer of 53.4 seconds set in the 2014 4YO Bonanza.

Making the feat all the more formiddable was the fact Ride High was merely allowed to roll along on Saturday night and was never pressed by Frenning nor challenged by a rival, with almost 30 metres separating him from second-placed Our Step Up.

"I didn't pull anything. He probably just knocked off a little bit because he didn't have anything to race," Frenning told Trots Vision post-race. "He's so competitive and such a professional, if he had something to race I'd be scared to see what he could do in the last quarter."

CLICK HERE FOR RIDE HIGH "RIDICULOUS" IN BLISTERING TABCORP PARK WIN

Reinforcing Ride High's prodigious talent is his stranglehold on Tabcorp Park Melton's leading last half performers despite his tender age (five), limited racing (12 starts) and that his record time was set when first-up since December.

Of the top five fastest last halves at Tabcorp Park he has three of them, including the two quickest last halves over the middle distance (2240m).

Here are the top 10 last halves at Tabcorp Park: 

HRV – Michael Howard